The invention relates to a sanitary article or object, particularly a hand-operated shower, having a changeover device for controlling a liquid flow.
It is known in the case of liquid-conducting sanitary articles to use the principle of a water jet pump in order to admix sucked-in air with liquid flowing from a liquid inlet to a liquid outlet. An air suction or intake device provided for this purpose has at least one pump jet opening connectable to the liquid inlet and which issues into a pump chamber connectable by at least one air supply channel to the environment. The liquid passing out through the pump jet opening entrains air, which is mixed with the liquid and together with the latter passes out at the outlet side e.g. as a gentle, bubbling water jet. A vacuum is produced in the pump chamber or air supply channel which brings about the suction of the air for as long as liquid flows at an adequate speed through the pump jet opening and the air supply channel is open.
Permanently operating devices of this type e.g. exist in so-called water jet aerators or jet regulators, which are fitted to the outlet end of water taps. Also in the case of head showers air suction devices are known, such as e.g. the head showers described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,111,994 and 5 154 355.
CH-A-473 573 discloses a hand-operated shower, in which a water jet pump is so combined with a device for injecting additional substances into the flowing liquid that both devices can be simultaneously turned on or off. In the grip or handle of the hand-operated shower is provided a displaceable water supply pipe, which has a venturi tube-like constriction, into which issues an injection line, which can be linked with a storage chamber for a cleaning medium. The displaceable water supply pipe forms with the outlet-side end thereof the pump jet opening. It is displaceably guided in a cylindrical channel of the grip, which in the vicinity of the pump jet opening has radial air supply openings, which can be covered or freed as required through an axial displacement of the displaceable water supply pipe. In one position with the air supply openings freed the injection channel is connected to the cleaning medium supply, so that cleaning medium is sucked into the area of the constriction. In the vicinity of the following water jet pump air is supplied for foaming purposes.
The hand-operated shower known from CH-A-686 409 is provided in the grip with a water supply pipe with a flow limiting nozzle forming a pump jet opening and which issues into a widening pump chamber, to which is connected a conically widened pressure build-up and mixing chamber. Into the pump chamber also issues an air supply pipe coming from the outside, whose inlet opening located on the grip underside can be closed manually or by means of a slide or slide valve. The hand-operated shower is intended, despite the reduced water consumption, to form a powerful, effervescing water-air jet, whose water flow quantity is to remain relatively constant independently of the air quantity supplied in regulatable manner by a slide.
The problem of the invention is to provide a sanitary article, particularly a hand-operated shower with a changeover device and which leads to improved use.
To solve this problem the invention proposes a changeover device having the features of claim 1.
A sanitary article according to the invention is characterized in that a passage cross-section for the liquid formed between the liquid inlet and liquid outlet of the changeover device can be widened or extended on turning off the air suction device. Thus, when the water jet pump or air suction is switched on a smaller overall passage cross-section can be set than when the air suction device is switched off. Thus, in the suction position a water economizing effect can be obtained. The smaller passage cross-section compared with the off position can also be used for speeding up the flow of the liquid flowing through, which permits a strong pumping or suction action. Thus, on the outlet side in the suction position it is possible to produce a powerful, air-mixed, soft-feeling liquid flow. However, in the position with the air suction device completely turned off a much greater passage cross-section is available, so that on the outlet side can be delivered a substantially air-free, powerful flow, which is e.g. usable for massaging purposes.
The ratio of the large to the small passage cross-section can be more than 1.1 or 1.2 and can in particular be between approximately 1.3 and approximately 3, the flow paths and passage cross-sections preferably being dimensioned in such a way that with the water jet pump switched on less than approximately 60 to 80%, e.g. approximately only half the water quantity flowing through when the water jet pump is switched off then flows. Such a changeover possibility between a possibly hard massaging jet and a water-economizing, relaxing, bubbling soft jet can greatly increase the shower comfort particularly with hand-operated showers or showers installed in a fixed manner because, as a function of mood or needs, a user can choose between two completely different jet hardnesses, without it being simultaneously necessary to modify the jet type. The changeover device is in particular positioned upstream of jet forming means and in particular any adjusting devices for the jet type. The changeover device can be the sole changeover device for a sanitary article or can be provided in addition to further adjusting devices, e.g. in the shower head, so that additional combination possibilities are provided.
In a preferred embodiment the passage cross-section of the preferably circular pump jet opening is smaller than the passage cross-section of the preferably also circular liquid inlet and it is preferably less than 30%, particularly between approximately 5 and approximately 20% of the passage cross-section of the liquid inlet. Thus, in the case of a liquid-tight water conduction between the liquid inlet and the pump jet opening, a considerable acceleration of the through-flowing liquid is obtained, which even with a weak inlet pressure passes at a high speed out of the pump jet opening, so that a powerful pumping action is achieved even with an only moderately opened supply pipe. To further increase the suction or pumping action, in an embodiment a flow calming device is provided for standardizing or rendering uniform the flow passing through the pump jet opening. Upstream of the pump jet opening it can have several, preferably crosswise-arranged, axial guide rails, which encourage a laminar flow and prevent turbulence over an appropriate axial length of e.g. several millimetres to centimetres.
It is possible to design the changeover device in such a way that the water jet pump is turned off in deferred manner compared with the widening of the passage cross-section. Preferably the disconnection of the air intake and the widening of the passage cross-section take place simultaneously. In particular, on disconnecting the suction device at least one further passage channel provided in addition to the pump jet opening can b e opened. It can have a larger passage cross-section than the pump jet opening, which can then optionally be closed. However, preferably, with the air suction device disconnected both the pump jet opening and also the further passage channel can have a flow through them, so that also the passage cross-section of the pump jet opening remains usable. Thus, in cross-section particularly compact solutions are possible.
The at least one further passage channel can be positioned eccentrically to or laterally displaced with respect to the pump jet opening. A particularly effective use of limited cross-sections, e.g. in the grip of a hand-operated shower, is possible in a preferred embodiment in that the further passage channel is arranged substantially concentrically with the pump jet opening. It can in particular be constructed as an annular channel surrounding the pump jet opening.
The boundary walls of the individual passage cross-sections can be in a rigid arrangement with respect to one another and optionally separate pipes or lines can lead to the openings. The opening or closing of the passage cross-sections can be brought about by any type of closing member, such as a slide, slide valve, flap, etc. In a preferred embodiment the changeover device has a liquid-conducting, first sleeve, which is so telescopically arrangeable, particularly nestable with a separate, second sleeve that between the sleeves, at least in an axial portion, is formed an axially through-flowable annular channel or intermediate space usable as a further passage cross-section. The further passage channel can be opened or closed by an in particular axial relative displacement of the first and second sleeves. Thus, the movable in opposition, particularly axially relatively displaceable sleeves have a double function on the one hand as a liquid guide and on the other as closing members, so that there is no need for separate closing members.
Although the pump opening and the further passage channel can have separate water supplies, in a preferred embodiment a first sleeve arranged telescopically within a second sleeve has a radial flow cross-section with at least one radially through-flowable passage opening, through which the interior of the first sleeve is connectable with an intermediate space or annular space formed between the first and second sleeves. It is consequently possible to provide the sole liquid inlet of the changeover device at the first sleeve, which can e.g. have an external thread for the connection of a hose or tube. Then, through the first sleeve not only takes place the flow to the pump jet opening, but also the liquid line into the intermediate space surrounding the first sleeve and which forms the further passage cross-section when the air supply is disconnected.
The air supply channel can be formed by any suitable, optionally branched or multichannel cavity arrangement permitting an interruptable suction of air into the pump chamber. It can be bounded by separate pipe sections and/or by suitably spaced components of the changeover device and/or by channel walls provided within solid components and is preferably flow-favourably dimensioned in such a way that unintentional noise production during air intake is substantially prevented. Closing can be brought about by any suitable closing member, e.g. a slide. In a preferred embodiment a simultaneous opening of the further passage cross-section and closing of the air supply channel is made possible in that the latter can be opened or closed by the relative displacement of two telescopically arranged sleeves. For this purpose the air supply channel preferably has a first channel section constructed as a wall opening of a sleeve and which is movable relative to a second channel portion constructed as a wall opening of the other sleeve between positions with and without cross-sectional overlap of the channel sections. If the channel sections are completely mutually displaced, then the air supply channel is interrupted, whereas with an at least partial cross-sectional overlap the channel sections communicate and air can be sucked in.
In at least one of the sleeve wall openings can be inserted a preferably rubber-like valve body, which in the closed position brings about a sealing of the mutually displaced sleeves in the wall opening area and in the open position forms a valve seated in the suction channel. The latter preferably automatically opens in the suction direction, but automatically closes in the opposite direction, in order to reliably prevent an undesired escape of water through the air supply channel. In a preferred embodiment a suitable lip valve is provided for this purpose.
The presence of a vacuum in the pump chamber or in the air supply channel with the water jet pump switched on can be advantageously used for other purposes. Thus, in a preferred embodiment with the air supply channel or the pump chamber is associated at least one vacuum-activatable, acoustic signal generator, which can e.g. be constructed in such a way that as a result of the air flowing in in the case of a vacuum one or more laminations are made to audibly vibrate. This can e.g. create a preferably multitonal xe2x80x9cshower harmonicaxe2x80x9d, which for large and small children can increase the enjoyment of taking a shower in a crafty manner. Such acoustic signal generators can be provided in all sanitary articles, particularly hand-operated showers provided with air suction devices operating according to the water jet pump principle.
Although changeover devices according to the invention can be integrated in fixed form in corresponding sanitary articles, in a preferred embodiment, the changeover device is replaceable, preferably without tools, so that, if desired, the sanitary article can be operated without a changeover device or water jet aeration. In particular, the changeover device can be integrated or is integratable into the grip of a hand-operated shower. For this purpose the grip can have two axial grip sections, which can be locked together or released from one another without tools in the manner of a high-speed coupling. The nestable sleeves of the changeover device, preferably sealable against one another by 0-seals can in an appropriate manner firstly be introduced into the associated grip sections and then on assembling the grip can be slid into one another, so that the installation of the changeover device can take place simultaneously with the assembly of the grip sections. In a correspondingly simple manner it is possible to remove the changeover device from the grip for replacement purposes or for repair or cleaning.
According to the invention the sanitary article, particularly if constructed as a shower, can be provided with a cleanable filter. The filter is preferably in the form of a sleeve-like filter through which there can be a radial flow from the inside or the outside and against which a radial flow takes place and which is releasably closed at its downstream end. Through opening the closure there can be an axial flow through the filter for cleaning purposes. For cleaning purposes the filter is preferably detachable from the sanitary article. The axial closure or seal is advantageously constituted by a part remaining on the sanitary article on detaching the filter, so that the axial closure on removing the filter is automatically detached from the latter which can be axially open. Thus, the filter can be cleaned in the state released from the sanitary article, so that there is no risk of residues remaining in the filter passing into the sanitary article. In a further, advantageous development the water connection, e.g. a hose connection, is permanently connected to the filter, so that the normal water connection can be used for a flow through the filter for cleaning purposes. This filter construction is not only advantageous with the presently described sanitary article, but also for other sanitary articles, particularly showers, such as hand-operated showers.